BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Maine Irish Heritage Center - ECPv6.15.18//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Maine Irish Heritage Center X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://maineirish.com X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Maine Irish Heritage Center REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20240310T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20241103T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20250309T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250307T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250307T210000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20241218T200434Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250227T213536Z UID:10000438-1741375800-1741381200@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Paddy Cullivan's I Can't Believe It's Not Ireland! DESCRIPTION:Friday\, March 7th\n7:30pm\nDoors open at 7:00pm\nJoin Paddy Cullivan on a hilariously insightful journey through the history of partition and the Ireland of the future: \n‘Imagine this. It’s 2032. The people have spoken on both sides of the border and Ireland is a brand new 32-county country. There’s a new flag. A new anthem. There’s even a new capital! As Unionists holiday in the south\, discovering the imperial joys of ‘Royal’ Dublin – southerners discover the ancient landscape of Ulster beyond the retail outlets of Newry and Titanic Belfast. Magical things happen when you create a new country – where EVERYTHING is on the table – and its exciting. \nLeave all your preconceptions at the door. It’s not a United Ireland. It’s not an ‘agreed’ Ireland. It’s not ‘shared’ – nor is it ‘new’. It’s simply-  ‘I can’t believe it’s not Ireland’! But first…we have to get there….’ \nA one-man show about the past and the future\, Paddy explores the history of plantation\, partition and the Irish Protestant contribution to Irish (and American) life – then projects to 2032 to see what a United Ireland will be like using AI\, songs and over 300 images. Funny\, fair and intriguing\, audiences from both sides of the divide have been blown away by its inclusive and hopeful message. \nAbout the Artist:\nPaddy Cullivan is an acclaimed Irish entertainer renowned for his versatility in music\, comedy and historical storytelling. As frontman of The Camembert Quartet he captivated audiences for 20 years with the band’s unique blend of humor and musical talent. This led to their becoming House Band on the world’s longest running chat show\, the (Irish) ‘Late Late Show’ for over a decade\, along with presenter Ryan Tubridy. \nCullivan’s passion for history is evident in his solo ‘historical entertainment’ shows which he devised and performed since 2016\, including “The Murder of Wolfe Tone” and “The Murder of Michael Collins”. These shows combined storytelling\, music and visuals to explore pivotal events in Irish history. His latest project\, “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Ireland\,” offers an optimistic vision of a future United Ireland\, combining humor and hope to inspire audiences. Paddy Cullivan continues to be a dynamic force in Irish culture\, engaging and educating through his diverse creative endeavours. \nFor more info\, visit https://www.paddycullivan.com/ \nCheck out Paddy’s podcast on the show! Podcast Here!\nPrevious reviews of Paddy Cullivan shows:\n‘Mesmerising stuff – a complicated story\, brilliantly told.’ – Ronan McGreevy (Irish Times) \n★★★★★ \n‘Agatha Christie meets Monty Python – a century-year-old mystery with the best form of comedy; tinged with unpalatable truth’ – Oliver Callan \n★★★★★ \n‘Begging for the live stage – superb job’ – Erskine Childers \n★★★★★ \n‘Amazing work – hard history told with a light touch. Comhghairdeas’ – Mary Lou McDonald (President of Sinn Fein) \n★★★★★ \n‘Greatest show on the Emerald Isle!…essential viewing for the price of Dublin pint!’ – Sean Napier (The 1798 Belfast walking tour) \nGenerously sponsored by The Holiday Inn By The Bay! URL:https://maineirish.com/event/paddy-cullivans-i-cant-believe-its-not-ireland/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Paddy-cullivan-2.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250309T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250309T200000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250204T170726Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250204T170726Z UID:10000445-1741543200-1741550400@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Shalom & Shamrocks: An Irish-Jewish Corned Beef Feast DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, March 9\, 2025\n6:00 PM \nIrish corned beef dinner or Jewish corned beef sandwich on rye? Why choose one when you can have them both! \nDid you know that the Irish corned beef dinner has a Jewish origin? Corned beef became a St. Patrick’s Day staple because in the early 20th century\, when Irish and Jewish immigrants lived in close proximity in many U.S. cities\, Irish immigrants noticed the corned beef their Jewish neighbors enjoyed was similar to bacon… but cheaper and more accessible. In fact\, kosher butchers had almost as many Irish customers as Jewish customers back in the day! In this spirit\, join us for a fun and delicious event\, featuring corned beef\, cabbage\, and colcannon as well as a Jewish deli buffet\, that brings the luck of the Irish to the Maine Jewish Museum and celebrates our shared immigrant roots. Red ale and Dr. Brown’s mocktails? But of course! Bonus: Guinness Stout cake and black-and-white cookies for a sweet ending! \n$45/person \nGet your tickets here: \nBuy Tickets Now! URL:https://maineirish.com/event/shalom-shamrocks-an-irish-jewish-corned-beef-feast/ LOCATION:Maine Jewish Museum\, 267 Congress St\, Portland\, ME\, 04101\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Shalom-Shamrocks-An-Irish-Jewish-Corned-Beef-Feast.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250313T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250313T210000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20240806T040104Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241212T033951Z UID:10000403-1741894200-1741899600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "Long Island" by Colm Toibin DESCRIPTION:“Long Island” by Colm Tóibín is a novel that explores the lives of Irish immigrants in America\, focusing on their struggles\, dreams\, and sense of identity. Set primarily on Long Island\, the story delves into themes of displacement\, cultural adaptation\, and the search for belonging\, all told with Tóibín’s signature lyrical prose and deep empathy for his characters. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-22/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States CATEGORIES:Maine Irish Reads ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/longisland.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250316T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250316T130000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250207T192904Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250211T171003Z UID:10000447-1742126400-1742130000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:St. Patrick's Day Parade! DESCRIPTION:Sunday March 16th\n12pm\nStarting at the Portland Fish Pier!\n  \nThe Irish American Club’s Saint Patrick’s Parade will be held this year on Sunday March 16th and will begin at Noon. This year’s Grand Marshall is Mary McAleney\, truly a person who has given the Irish community a great deal\, most notably as the prior Executive Director of the Maine Irish Heritage Center. The parade route is along Commercial Street in Portland from the Fish Pier to Bellbuoy Park\, just shy of the Casco Bay Ferry Terminal building. The parade will feature multiple marching groups including the Irish American Club’s Parade of Flags\, two pipe and drum bands\, the Stillson School of Irish Dance team\, representatives from the US Navy crew aboard the USS Gallagher\, and local police and fire departments. \nCome on out and join the thousands of spectators as we welcome many local civic organizations\, local businesses\, many unions and many other groups and participants that will be marching. The parade is truly a celebration of our Irish cultural heritage and not to be missed. \n\nLearn more about the Irish American Club HERE! URL:https://maineirish.com/event/st-patricks-day-parade-2025/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IAC-SPD.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250316T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250316T160000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250207T192907Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250207T201243Z UID:10000446-1742130000-1742140800@maineirish.com SUMMARY:St. Patrick's Day Celebration at the Maine Irish Heritage Center DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, March 16th\n1pm-4pm\n\n\nJoin us after the IAC St. Patrick’s Day Parade over at the Maine Irish Heritage Center for a sham-rocking good time!\n\nWe’ll have food\, drinks\, music and more – warm up with an Irish Coffee\, or enjoy a pint of Guinness while you watch the Stillson School of Irish Dance perform!\n\nWe’ll have building tours\, raffles\, and our Genealogy team in house!\n\nCome join the party!\n\n\nFor more information about the Parade\, click HERE! URL:https://maineirish.com/event/st-patricks-day-celebration-at-the-maine-irish-heritage-center/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/St.-Patricks-Day-at-the-Maine-Irish-Heritage-Center.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250317T083000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250317T110000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250213T215229Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250213T215229Z UID:10000710-1742200200-1742209200@maineirish.com SUMMARY:St. Patrick's Day Neighborhood Walk DESCRIPTION:Monday\, March 17th\n8:30am\nJoin us for a celebratory walk through the West End\, and an Irish flag raising in Harborview park! Followed by tea and Irish bread at the Center to warm up and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! URL:https://maineirish.com/event/st-patricks-day-neighborhood-walk/ LOCATION:ME ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/St.-Patricks-Day-West-End-Walk.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250322T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250322T213000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250211T190640Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250227T213453Z UID:10000708-1742671800-1742679000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Bumbled: a one man show ft. Colin Hamell DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, March 22nd\n7:30pm\nDoors open at 7pm\n  \nBumbled is a one-person\, bee-twerking\, Irish slow-dancing\, sex-dodging\, odyssey – where ‘too late’ often comes sooner than you think \nLife is short\, especially if you’re a bee. Not long to make honey\, prop up the human food chain\, and fall in love. Bumbled follows Pascal\, an Irish honeybee\, as he embarks on a hilarious and poignant journey to tell the world about the importance of bees\, save the planet\, and find true happiness with his French girlfriend\, the epic Marion. All the while trying to avoid his balls exploding\, his manhood falling off and certain death. \nABOUT THE SHOW\nQuite often the worst of ideas are conceived over a glass of wine. But now and again\, if the Spanish sun lingers long enough\, “you might just have something there”. \nPerched on a balcony\, overlooking a gloriously aging Galician village\, a beekeeping Corkman regaled us with yarns of his little ‘doozer’ friends. \n“They’re a lot like us\, you know.” “They keep the world turning\, so they do.” “Bet you don’t know that they……” We listened\, wide-eyed\, like kids at story time\, and as the anecdotes continued\, our passing interest became fascination… and intrigue… and laughter. \nAnd so\, in association with a few bottles of 1906\, and Fernando’s finest Treixadura\, ‘Bumbled’ was born. Sometimes when you find yourself sitting amid nature and learning how it really works\, it dawns on you that you have a definite responsibility to at least try to help preserve it. And as Irishmen\, you also have an obligation to take the piss out of it. Because that’s just what we do. \nWe hope you enjoy Bumbled. \nAnd if you have balls\, we hope that they never explode. \nNot tonight\, anyway \nThe Team:\nPerformed by Colin Hamell\nWritten by Bernard McMullan\nDirected by Carmel O’Reilly\nSound design by Stephen Russell\nProduced by TírNa Theatre and The Here Comes Everybody Players \nCARMEL O’REILLY is a director and actor living in Cambridge\, MA. Originally from Fermanagh in N. Ireland\, she founded the Súgán Theatre\, a company devoted to contemporary Irish plays. Besides the Súgán\, she has directed for many theatre companies in the Boston-area including the American Repertory Theatre. She is a two-time winner of the Norton Award for Outstanding Director. (The Nortons are Boston’s premier theatre awards.) For Tír Na\, she also directed Trad\, Jimmy Titanic and Return of the Winemaker. \nWriter BERNARD MCMULLAN – A native of Belfast\, Bernard now lives in Connecticut and is the author of screenplays – The Hidden Wake\, The Chicken House and Soon. Bernard also wrote the award-winning Jimmy Titanic for Tir Na Theatre which played Off Broadway and has toured extensively in the US and Ireland. Most recently he penned the hit show ‘Return of the Winemaker’ which the Boston Globe described as “Theatrical gold.” \nCOLIN HAMELL\, Producing/Artistic Director of Tir Na Theatre in Boston\, has performed extensively in the US and Europe. Favorite shows include Trad\, by Mark Doherty (Sugan and Tir Na Theatre)\, The Beauty Queen of Leenane starring Julie Harris\, by Martin McDonagh (W.H.A.T)\, Return of the Winemaker\, by Bernard McMullan (Tir Na)\, and The Weir\, by Conor McPherson (New Rep). He toured his one-man show Jimmy Titanic\, by Bernard McMullan\, throughout the US\, including an Off Broadway run at the Irish Repertory Theatre in New York City and multiple locations in Ireland and New Zealand. Jimmy Titanic had its World premiere at Origin’s First Irish in 2013. He is currently touring his new one-man show\, Bumbled\, premiered at the Foundry in Cambridge MA\, and has played in New York City as part of the Origin First Irish Theatre Festival and in the Cork Fit Up Festival\, Ireland. \nCritics are raving:\n“Incredibly funny – audiences were roaring throughout” – ARTS INTERNATIONAL \n“Bumbled is creating a huge buzz” – IRISH ECHO \n“an ingenious conceit… Hamell is an Actor to watch” – SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT \nBumbled first premiered at The Foundry Theatre in Cambridge MA and then in NYC as part of Origin\nTheatre’s 1st Irish Theatre Festival NYC 2024. It is produced by TírNa Theatre and The Here Comes\nEverybody Players. \n  \nGenerously sponsored by The Holiday Inn By The Bay! \n \n  URL:https://maineirish.com/event/bumbled-a-one-man-show-ft-colin-hamell-2/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/BUMBLED-2.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250410T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250410T210000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20240806T040555Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241212T034317Z UID:10000404-1744313400-1744318800@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "Prophet Song: A Novel" by Paul Lynch DESCRIPTION:“Prophet Song: A Novel” by Paul Lynch is a dystopian narrative set in a near-future Ireland on the brink of societal collapse. The story follows Eilish Stack\, a scientist and mother\, as she navigates a world where authoritarianism and civil unrest threaten her family’s safety and freedom. Lynch’s novel explores themes of resistance\, survival\, and the human spirit’s resilience against oppressive forces\, creating a gripping and thought-provoking tale of a family’s struggle in the face of impending doom. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-24/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States CATEGORIES:Maine Irish Reads ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/prophetsong.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250412T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250412T210000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250307T204457Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250410T173300Z UID:10000711-1744484400-1744491600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Maine Irish Poetry Night DESCRIPTION:In Honor of National Poetry Month and Seamus Heaney’s Birthday\nSaturday\, April 12th\n7:00pm\nJoin us for an evening of poetry in celebration of National Poetry Month\, and Seamus Heaney’s birthday! \nDoors open at 6:30 PM\, and readings begin at 7:00 PM. Admission is free\, and books will be available for purchase at the event through our wonderful partners\, Print: A Bookstore. Donations in support of the Maine Irish Heritage Center are welcome. A cash bar is available. \nOur featured poets are:\nKristen Case\nKristen Case has published essays on Henry David Thoreau\, Emily Dickinson\, Robert Frost\, Ezra Pound\, Wallace Stevens\, and William and Henry James\, and is the author of the book American Poetry and Poetic Practice: Crosscurrents from Emerson to Susan Howe (Camden House\, 2011). She is co-editor of  The Oxford Handbook of Henry David Thoreau (in development\, Oxford UP)\, William James and Literary Studies (forthcoming\, Cambridge UP)\, Thoreau in an Age of Crisis: Uses and Abuses of An American Icon (Fink\, 2021)\, 21|19: Contemporary Poets in the 19th Century Archive (Milkweed Editions\, 2019)\, and Thoreau at 200: Essays and Reassessments (Cambridge UP\, 2016) .  Kristen’s first poetry collection\, Little Arias was published by New Issues Press in 2015. Her second collection\, Principles of Economics\, published by Switchback Books\, won the 2018 Gatewood Prize. She is the recipient of the Maine Literary Award in Poetry (2016 and 2020)\, a MacDowell Fellowship\, and the UMF Trustee Professorship. She is Executive Director of the Monson Arts Seminar and Director of Thoreau’s Kalendar: A Digital Archive of the Phenological Manuscripts of Henry David Thoreau. Her current book project is Keeping Time: Henry David Thoreau’s Kalendar (forthcoming\, Milkweed Editions). She is Scholarship Research and Grants Manager at the Mitchell Institute\, Maine’s premier scholarship organization. \nLearn more at https://www.kristencase.com/ \n\n\n\nMaria Zoccola\nMaria Zoccola is a poet and educator from Memphis\, Tennessee. She has writing degrees from Emory University and Falmouth University and has spent several years leading creative writing workshops for middle and high school youth. Maria’s work has previously appeared in Ploughshares\, The Kenyon Review\, The Iowa Review\, The Sewanee Review\, ZYZZYVA\, and elsewhere\, and has received a special mention for the Pushcart Prize. Helen of Troy\, 1993 is her debut poetry collection. \nLearn more at https://mariazoccola.com/?page_id=379 \n  \n  \nTHANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSOR\, COFFEE BY DESIGN!\n \nThanks to our Artist Sponsor\, the Hyatt Place hotel! URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-poetry-night/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Poetry-night-w-cbd-1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250415T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250415T213000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20241218T202952Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250414T154255Z UID:10000439-1744745400-1744752600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Breen | Rynne | Murray DESCRIPTION:Odyssey\nTuesday\, April 15th\n7:30pm\nDoors open at 7:00pm\nEmbark on an odyssey of wonder\, joyfulness and upbeat music as three incredibly talented and creative folk musicians shape melodies from past and present into something dynamic and irresistible. A trio comprising of musicians at the fore of our tradition\, expect a performance from the gentle to the rhythmical and all the in-betweens. \nMeet the Artists: Tara Breen\, Pádraig Rynne & Jim Murray\nTara Breen has numerous All Ireland titles on the fiddle and tours regularly with The Chieftains\, Stockton’s wing and as a solo performer. Pádraig Rynne is considered a leading figure in Irish music and is founding member of well-known bands such as NOTIFY and Guidewires. Jim has been one of the most sought after and busiest musicians of his generation over the past two decades recording and touring with some of the best known folk musicians in the world. Their 2021 release “Nasc” is regarded as one of the finest albums in recent years from an Irish Traditional outfit and was winner of the best traditional album in the 2022 American Celtic listener supported radio awards. \n“Sure-footed\, engaging and joyful music from a dynamic Clare duo. Expert musicianship\, courageous creativity and sweetness of melody” – Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh\, RTÉ Radió na Gaeltachta \nDescribed as “one of the freshest sounds in Irish music” by fRoots\, Pádraig Rynne is a virtuoso musician\, prolific composer and is regarded as the finest concertina player in Irish music today. With an MA in Music Technology and with a passion for experimenting in diverse genres Pádraig is recognized for his re-freshing explorations into the Irish tradition and for his ground-breaking band NOTIFY\, described by the New York Echo as “cinematic in scope”. \nA worthy description as “a musical wizard” by Music Network\, Tara Breen is the fiddler with the legendary band\, The Chieftains. She is an all-round extraordinary musician who has 11 solo All-Ireland titles. Tara is also the winner of both the coveted Fiddler of Dooney and Michael Coleman Fiddle competitions and was invited to perform at Dublin Castle for the Queen of England during her State visit to Ireland. Tara has numerous recording credits to her name and regularly guests with artists such as Carlos Nunez\, Stockton’s wing and the Trí Tones. \nJim Murray has been touring the world full time as a professional musician since the age of eighteen. Jim is considered Sharon Shannon’s “right hand man” having recorded and toured with her over five continents.  He also released two critically acclaimed albums with long term partner Seamus Begley in 2001 and 2008 which collectively scooped many prestigious awards such as The Irish Times and Hotpress Traditional Irish Music Album of the Year. Since Jim’s arrival on the world stage\, he has gained the respect of both national and international musicians and has performed and recorded with artists such as Sinead O’Connor\, Steve Earl\, Shane McGowan\, Altan and Mary Black to mention but a few. \n \n“cut-glass performances and imaginative tune pairings are a joy throughout.” \n The Irish Times \n“Rynne and Breen have fabulous chemistry together and have found backing musicians who are more than mere accompanists but who are stakeholders in the game” \nDan Neely\, The Irish Echo\, New York \nwww.breenrynnemurray.com URL:https://maineirish.com/event/breen-rynne-murray/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States CATEGORIES:Performance,Tickteted Performance ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Breen-Rynne-Murray.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250424T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250424T210000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250321T150930Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250411T163941Z UID:10000712-1745521200-1745528400@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Caoilinn Hughes: "The Alternatives" - A Maine Irish Author Event DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, April 24th\n7:00pm\nJoin us for an incredible evening with award-winning author Caoilinn Hughes! With readings\, a special performance\, and an author Q&A\, this is a night certainly not to be missed! \nBooks will be available for sale at the event through our incredible partners\, Print: A Bookstore \n\n\n\nThe event will feature a staged reading of a portion of The Alternatives featuring performances by Caoilinn Hughes herself\, as well as local guest actors Allison McCall\, Marie Stewart Harmon and Lauren Stockless! Watch this incredible story come to life in front of your eyes!\n\nAbout The Book\n“A bold\, beautiful\, complex novel\, and I can’t wait to read what Hughes writes next. She\, too\, is an unstoppable force.” —New York Times Book Review \n“A tale about sisterhood\, a novel of ideas\, a chronicle of our collective follies\, a requiem for our agonizing species\, The Alternatives unfolds in a prose full of gorgeous surprises and glows with intelligence\, compassion\, and beauty.”  —Hernan Diaz \nFrom the writer Anthony Doerr calls “a massive talent\,” the story of four brilliant Irish sisters\, orphaned in childhood\, who scramble to reconnect when the oldest disappears into the Irish countryside \nThe Flattery sisters were plunged prematurely into adulthood when their parents died in tragic circumstances. Now in their thirties—all single\, all with PhDs—they are each attempting to do meaningful work in a rapidly foundering world. The four lead disparate\, distanced lives\, from classrooms in Connecticut to ritzy catering gigs in London’s Notting Hill\, until one day their oldest sister\, a geologist haunted by a terrible awareness of the earth’s future\, abruptly vanishes from her work and home. Together for the first time in years\, the Flatterys descend on the Irish countryside in search of a sister who doesn’t want to be found. Sheltered in a derelict bungalow\, they reach into their common past\, confronting both old wounds and a desperately uncertain future. Warm\, fiercely witty\, and unexpectedly hopeful\, The Alternatives is an unforgettable portrait of a family perched on our collective precipice\, told by one of Ireland’s most gifted storytellers. \n\n\n\nLearn more at https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/723051/the-alternatives-by-caoilinn-hughes/\n\nAbout the Author\n\nCaoilinn Hughes is the author of Orchid & the Wasp\, which won the Collyer Bristow Prize and was longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award\, and The Wild Laughter\,whichwon the Royal Society of Literature’s Encore Award and was longlisted for the International Dylan Thomas Prize. She was recently the Oscar Wilde Centre Writer Fellow at Trinity College Dublin\, and is now a Cullman Fellow at New York Public Library.\nPhoto: © Robin Christian \n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nMeet the Artists!\nAllison McCall (she/her) is a theatre artist\, theatre educator\, Food Network enthusiast\, and book worm. She has been a proud member of Mad Horse Theatre Co. (MHTC) since 2015\, having recently stepped into the role of Artistic Director in 2024. By day\, she is the Theatre Company Coordinator of Maddy’s Theatre at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine (CMTM). Recent credits include: Women Laughing Alone With Salad (Tori)\, Tumacho (Catalina)\, Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Emily)\, POTUS…Keep Him Alive (Jean)\, When We Were Young and Unafraid (Mary Anne) with MHTC; Charlotte’s Web (Charlotte) and Corduroy (Corduroy U/S) at CMTM; Waiting for Alice (playwright); Come Home (writer/director) for Damnationland 2024. Other local credits include Good Theater\, Fenix Theatre Co.\, PortFringe\, etc. Allison holds a BA in Theatre (Acting Concentration) and Art History from Muhlenberg College and studied Performance Studies at Goldsmiths\, University of London. She has a codependent miniature schnauzer named Ichabod. Currently reading: Elphie by Gregory McGuire. @sonnymccall421 \n  \n  \n  \n\nMarie Stewart Harmon (@smallstew) has been performing professionally in Maine for over a decade as an actor\, improviser\, model\, voice actor\, occasional murderer or detective for your mystery parties.  She is a proud company member of @madhorsetheatre since 2014; most recent credits include Julia in Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance\, Prudence in TUMACHO\, and Dusty in POTUS or you may see her at the Box Office. Coming up next is Grumbo’s Big Night for @portfringe2025\, follow @grrrumbo if you like gross little weirdos. While she isn’t creating theatre she can be found supporting Maine’s creative makers with her family’s business\, @lisamariesmadeinmaine. Thanks for the love and support from her dubbers. Always. \n  \n  \n  \n  \nLauren Stockless (she/her) is excited to be participating in this reading! She graduated from Colby College with a BA in Theatre & Dance/English Literature\, and then earned a MSc in Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Edinburgh. Lauren is a proud company member with Mad Horse Theater Company\, and is heavily involved in local theater as a director\, dramaturg\, and actor. Some past favorite shows include: Women Laughing Alone with Salad (Director\, Mad Horse)\, POTUS: Or\, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive (Director\, Mad Horse)\, The Thin Place (Co-director\, Portland Theater Festival)\, White (Jane\, Mad Horse)\, Pass Over (Production Stage Manager\, Portland Theater Festival)\, Twelfth Night (Director\, Edinburgh University Shakespeare Company)\, and You Got Older (Jenny\, Mad Horse). Lauren is also the Events and Marketing Coordinator for the Maine Irish Heritage Center! URL:https://maineirish.com/event/caoilinn-hughes-the-alternatives-a-maine-irish-author-event/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Caoilinn-Hughes-The-Alternatives-2.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T110000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250429T195455Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250429T211136Z UID:10000716-1746694800-1746702000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Spring Volunteer Orientation DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, May 8th\n9am-11am\nWhether you’re a seasoned volunteer or brand new to the MIHC family\, this is a great chance to connect\, learn\, and get inspired. Our wonderful staff\, along with several of our amazing veteran volunteers\, will be introducing ourselves and making ourselves available to answer any questions you may have. We’ll also be sharing all the ways you can get involved—from giving tours of our historic building to helping with events\, creating displays\, diving into Irish history research\, and even pitching in on facilities projects.\n\nCome learn how your time and talents can help bring Maine’s Irish heritage to life!\n\nWe’ll have tea\, coffee\, good company\, and plenty of opportunities to ask questions and get to know each other. We can’t wait to see you there.\n\nRSVPs are appreciated — follow the link below to let us know you’re coming. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/spring-volunteer-orientation/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Maine-Irish-Volunteer-Orientation.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T210000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20240806T041052Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250411T233710Z UID:10000405-1746732600-1746738000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "Trespasses" by Louise Kennedy DESCRIPTION:Trespasses by Louise Kennedy is a haunting\, intimate portrait of ordinary lives upended by political violence. Set in 1975 near Belfast\, the novel follows Cushla Lavery\, a young Catholic woman living a quiet life split between her family’s pub and her job as a schoolteacher. But in a town riven by sectarian hatred\, nothing stays quiet for long. \nWhen Cushla falls into a reckless affair with Michael Agnew — an older\, married Protestant barrister — she crosses invisible lines that mark every street\, every conversation\, every choice. As their relationship deepens\, so does the threat of exposure — not only to gossip and scandal but to real and devastating violence. \nWith sharp wit\, aching tenderness\, and a fierce moral clarity\, Trespasses captures the claustrophobia of life during The Troubles — where love itself becomes an act of defiance. Louise Kennedy’s extraordinary debut is a powerful reminder that even in a divided world\, moments of connection can be both beautiful and profoundly dangerous. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-25/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States CATEGORIES:Maine Irish Reads ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/trespasses.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250510T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250510T213000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250401T161026Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250401T164324Z UID:10000713-1746905400-1746912600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Jennifer Elwell Comeau's ' A Moon in All Things': A Maine Irish Author Event DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, May 10th\n7:30pm\nAn Evening of Storytelling\, Reading\, and Music from the Debut Novel with Songs A Moon in All Things\n\n\n\n\nJennifer Elwell Comeau’s debut novel\, set in 1820s County Galway Ireland has been called\, “atmospheric and beguiling” by Kirkus Reviews. Join author and singer-songwriter Jennifer for an engaging evening of  reading\, storytelling\, travelogue and music. Hear the origin story of A Moon in All Things and be inspired by Jennifer’s own story of journeying from “Engineer to Enchantment.” \nBook Trailer: https://youtu.be/t-VJBWPOwoA?si=X2vQBuC7dI6MlY0R \nABOUT ‘A MOON IN ALL THINGS’\n\n\n\n\n\nOn the wild coast of 1820s Ireland\, sixteen-year-old Morrigan Lane hears the sea’s call—and her ancestors’ voices. Born a seeker in the mystical lands of her Celtic heritage\, Morrigan dreams of adventure\, breaking free from the restrictions of village life and sailing beyond the horizon. \n\n\n\n\n\nBut Morrigan finds herself pulled into a mysterious journey when a haunting vision of the Irish sea god beckons her into his shadowy world. Against the backdrop of Ireland’s rugged cliffs and ancient stone circles\, she must navigate myth and reality\, confronting age-old traditions\, family secrets\, and the fierce expectations placed upon her. A Moon in All Things is a spellbinding tale of Celtic magic\, forbidden dreams\, and the resilience of the human spirit. Fans of The Frozen River’s Martha Ballard will enjoy Comeau’s Morrigan Lane\, who is fiercely devoted to discovering her healing gifts while those in power call them “dangerous.” \nPRAISE FOR ‘A MOON IN ALL THINGS’ \n“Atmospheric and beguiling … In this fantasy novel\, Comeau uses the Irish setting … and tales of the Otherworld and Tuatha dé Danann to craft an ethereal\, fablelike narrative. Morrigan\, … friends\, family\, and fellow villagers\, come alive … fitting perfectly into the picturesque village … Morrigan’s frustration with the imposed limits on her gender adds a fascinating dimension to the spooky tale..”—Kirkus Indie Reviews  \n“Tears\, sighs\, fabulous!”—Geralyn White Dreyfous\, Academy Award-winning film producer   \n“Atmospheric\, subtle\, and captivating”—Foreward Reviews\, Clarion  \n“A writer should be able to ‘dance with a pen’ according to Nietzsche. If we accept this as a test for a writer\, then Jennifer Comeau passes with flying colors her first time out of the gate with A Moon in All Things. This work is not formulaic magic realism\, but rather reality as magic. This is a generous\, warm-hearted\, and very well researched novel and the reader will want more.”  – Tom Bancroft\, former book critic.  \n“An excellent and thoroughly enjoyable read. I felt fully immersed in Comeau’s story world and loved the details of sea life and old Irish culture that are inherent to the piece…the map of the village was wonderful. …This is fantastic work.” —Ink & Insights Competition (Score: 246/250) \n“Jennifer E Comeau has crafted a brilliantly written book of magic and healing that I could barely put down. In a time when we sorely need to wake up to the healing properties of plants and spirits of the land\, this book will inspire many to open up to the invisible realms around us who are calling us back Home to the wise ways. I am certain that this novel will become a classic along the lines of The Mists of Avalon.”– Mare Cromwell\, author of The Great Mother Bible\, and Gaia Mystic \n“Comeau delivers a beautifully crafted historical fantasy infused with lyricism and Celtic magic. [The] heroine’s viewpoint is consistently engrossing\, allowing readers full access to her internal life\, as well as a vicarious connection to the natural world that so informs her character.” – Booklife Prize\n \n“Captivated by lucid prose and an irresistible tale of high stakes and true love\, I started reading A Moon in All Things in the morning\, continued into the afternoon and evening\, and finished it in a weekend with a grateful sigh. This book will enthrall any reader who has wrestled with following her own path. As a coming-of-age tale that dives deeply into questions of home\, tradition\, and calling\, it will stay with me for a long\, long time.” —Jena Schwartz\, writing coach and author\, Why I was Late for Our Meeting. Don’t Miss This  \n“You nailed it.” – Annaliese Jakimides\, poet\, essayist\, copy editor  \n“This book brims with life\, magic\, and a flow back to the forces of nature we have forsaken. Oh my.” – Ellen Kleiner\, former publishing editor  \n“A luscious novel that invokes the beauty of Ireland. Comeau’s vivid characters are steeped in the mystical qualities of Celtic traditions…an invitation to a deeper connection with nature within and without.”—Ellen Dee Davidson\, author\, The Miracle Forest and Sacred Forest Bathing.  \nABOUT JENNIFER ELWELL COMEAU \nJennifer Comeau is a creative force who seeks to inspire people to live in service to a more beautiful world. Her debut historical novel with original songs (2025)\, A Moon in All Things\, has been called “atmospheric and beguiling” by Kirkus Reviews. This coming-of-age tale is filled with Celtic mysticism yet grounded in the everyday lives of an 1820s fishing village in Ireland. Her 5 star-awarded children’s book\, The Inside of ME (2024)\, is a profound reminder of the magic that happens on the inside when we go outside.   \nHer poems and essays are published in four anthologies\, including A Dangerous New World: Maine Voices on the Climate Crisis (2019)\, and No Ordinary Words: The Real Life Wisdom of Women (2022). With two albums of original music\, Jenn carries a song in her heart for the natural world. She partners with OzGREEN to facilitate the award-winning YOUth LEADing The World program in the southern hemisphere and works with restoration organizations like TreeSisters and Climate Change & Consciousness. Locally in Maine\, she runs a Wild Wonder Forest Bathing business.  \nLearn More: www.jennifercomeau.com URL:https://maineirish.com/event/jennifer-elwell-comeaus-a-moon-in-all-things-a-maine-irish-author-event/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/A-MOON-IN-ALL-THINGS-2.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250511T133000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250511T170000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250424T163028Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250509T175341Z UID:10000715-1746970200-1746982800@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Vivid Motion's Grania: Tea and History DESCRIPTION:Join us un Sunday\, May 11th for Vivid Motion Dance’s production of Grania: Pirate Queen. The Maine Irish Heritage Center will be present during house open and intermission with tea\, soda bread\, and some historical conversations! \nMaine Irish members get $5 off advanced tickets – email events@maineirish for the code! \nAbout the Event:\nGrania: Pirate Queen\nCo-directed by Scott Potter and Ali Odlin\, Vivid Motion Dance is bringing back the tale of Grania “Grace” O’ Malley (Gráinne Ní Mháille)\, a woman born from a seafaring western Irish clan who becomes the most feared pirate captain of the Irish seas. Grania and her people fight the lengthening shadow of the English Empire\, eventually coming face to face with the formidable Queen Elizabeth. Is she Grania’s greatest rival or greatest friend? Find out this spring! \nShows May 9 -11\, 2025 at The Hill Arts\nFri 7:30pm; Sat 2:30pm & 7:30pm; Sun 2:30pm\nTickets: Advance $25 Adult\, $10 Under 12 | Door $30 Adult\, $15 Under 12 \nGet tickets here: https://thehillarts.ticketspice.com/grania-pirate-queen-presented-by-vivid-motion-dance URL:https://maineirish.com/event/vivid-motions-grania-tea-and-history/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/04.1_vm_SP25-1920x1080px-169.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250601T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250601T160000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250424T161527Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250424T161527Z UID:10000714-1748786400-1748793600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Jack Cashman's "An Irishman's Story Of Survival": A Maine Irish Author Event DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, June 1st\n2:00pm\nJoin us for an engaging afternoon with Maine author Jack Cashman\, including readings from his novel “An Irishman’s Story of Survival”\, Audience Q&A\, and book signings! \nAbout the Author:\n \nJack Cashman’s career has put him in a number of roles\, although the title of “Amazon Best Selling Author” is a relatively new one. Coming from a background of small business ownership\, real estate\, and insurance\, Cashman was first elected to serve in the Maine House of Representatives in 1982. After five terms in office and some time away from state government\, he returned to public service in 2003 in a variety of roles with the administration of Maine Governor John Baldacci. Cashman’s first book\, An Irish Immigrant Story\, was published in 2018 as a historical novel based on the story of his own family’s journey from Ireland to the United States during the time of the Potato Famine. Cashman’s unique background of business owner\, elected office-holder\, and government official combine with his creative mind to bring together a collection of stories unlike any author working today. Jack has spent nearly all of his life in Maine\, and currently lives in Hampden with his wife of nearly 50 years\, Betty. They are the proud parents of two sons and grandparents of five granddaughters. \nLearn more at https://jackcashman.com/ \nAbout the Book:\n \nEvery life is a tapestry of challenges. Amidst the torrent of trials that threaten to engulf one’s spirit\, there stands the unyielding souls who\, with a spark of defiance in their eyes\, dare to face the tempest and emerge on the other side. They are the survivors\, the dauntless hearts who tread the rocky path with an unwavering resolve. \nKevin O’Donnell is a beacon of such indomitable spirit\, grappling with life’s relentless waves that seek to subdue him. In the turbulent era of mid-20th century\, the world could be a harsh\, unforgiving place for a young Irish lad. Yet\, within Kevin lies a burning desire to carve out his niche\, to transcend the barriers that life hurls his way and grasp the reins of a fulfilling existence. \nCan his resolute will and earnest endeavor outshine the adversities that loom? Can he navigate the maelstrom and anchor himself to the shores of a prosperous life? Traverse the chapters of his journey within these pages\, and unveil the saga of a young man’s undying spirit amidst the trials of time. Through Kevin’s eyes\, explore a testament to the enduring human spirit that resonates with every beating heart that refuses to yield to life’s storms. \nThe winner of a Bookfest award in historical fiction and an International Impact Book award\, this novel is not one to skip! URL:https://maineirish.com/event/jack-cashmans-an-irishmans-story-of-survival-a-maine-irish-author-event/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jack-Cashman.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250612T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250612T210000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20240806T041527Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241212T034800Z UID:10000406-1749756600-1749762000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "Surrender: 40 Songs\, One Story" by Bono DESCRIPTION:“Surrender: 40 Songs\, One Story” is a compelling memoir by Bono\, the frontman of the legendary rock band U2. Released in November 2022\, the book intertwines personal anecdotes and reflections with insights drawn from the band’s music\, featuring forty pivotal songs that have shaped his life and career. Through heartfelt storytelling\, Bono explores themes of love\, loss\, faith\, and activism\, offering readers an intimate glimpse into his journey as an artist\, a humanitarian\, and a husband and father. The narrative is both a celebration of his musical legacy and a poignant examination of the experiences that have informed his identity over the decades. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-26/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States CATEGORIES:Maine Irish Reads ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/surrender.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250614T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250614T203000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250522T155149Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250606T194343Z UID:10000719-1749925800-1749933000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Bloomsday at the Maine Irish Heritage Center DESCRIPTION:📅 Saturday\, June 14th | 🕡 6:30 PM\nJoin us for a lively and literary evening as we celebrate Bloomsday—the annual tribute to James Joyce’s Ulysses—with a unique Building Crawl through the historic Maine Irish Heritage Center.\nWander through the former St. Dominic’s Church and encounter live performances by local artists\, each offering a creative interpretation inspired by Joyce’s iconic novel. At each stop along the way\, enjoy bespoke beverages crafted to pair perfectly with the performances. \nCelebrate one of Ireland’s greatest literary figures in a setting steeped in Irish heritage and history. \nThis is an immersive cultural evening you won’t want to miss—whether you’re a lifelong Joyce fan or simply curious about this storied tradition. \n🍸 Our Bespoke Beverage Menu! 🍻\nEpisode 14: The Oxen of the Sun\nRubycoloured Egos from the Second Constellation: A delightful\, citrusy concoction of Ruby Red Grapefruit vodka\, lemon\, grapefruit juice\, and a touch of sweetness \nEpisode 15: Circe\nCirce’s Revival: An enticing pairing of Gin\, Cointreau\, Absinthe and lemon – topped with sparkling soda water for a refreshing sipper! \nEpisode 12: Cyclops\nGuinness: An Irish classic for a reason! When someone looks at you and says “Pint?”\, this is the pint they’re talking about. It’s rich\, it’s creamy\, it’s black\, and it’s a staple for any Irish gathering! \nEpisode 8: Lestrygonians\nIrish Coffee: Enjoy delicious coffee paired with Jameson Whiskey\, optional Baileys Irish Cream\, and whipped cream! \n🍷🍸🍻☕\nAll bespoke beverages will be available as full pours or as flight tasters! Pre-purchase a 4-drink flight tasting card in advance at a special price (the cost of 3) with your ticket. These beverages\, and a limited selection of our standard offer beverages will also be available for individual purchase at the bar. \n  \n🎭 Our performers (in no particular order):\nKatharine Doughty\, Episode 14: The Oxen of the Sun\nKatharine Doughty is a multi modal artist and performer. In 2017 she completed “In My Own Language” an 18 year series of self portraits and while receiving expressive arts certification at Tamalpa Institute\, Kentfield\, California and continuing to navigate metastatic breast cancer. Returning east 2021\, she continues developing “Finding The Ocean” a 365 found object jewelry project and offers expressive arts and somatic therapies to individuals and groups. Katharine is a recipient of the 2024 Tanne Foundation award. \n  \n  \n  \n  \nJared Mongeau\, Episode 15: Circe\nJared Mongeau (he/him) is an actor\, physical comedian\, and musician. His career began in the circus\, touring with the historic Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey as a clown. He is an MFA graduate of Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre in California\, which took him to Bali\, Indonesia\, to study traditional mask carving and performance. As a musician\, he has toured through 16 European countries\, playing accordion from shipping containers in Berlin and dive bars in Amsterdam to headlining on London’s West End. Locally\, he has appeared in productions with Portland Stage\, Good Theater\, Portland Theater Festival\, Mad Horse Theater Co.\, Camden Shakespeare Festival\, The Theater Project\, Zuggurat Theatre Ensemble\, Portland Shakespeare Co.\, and the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine. His award-winning original work has been presented by PortFringe\, Mad Horse Theatre Co.\, and the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine\, as well as the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival\, the largest theater festival in North America\, and for the United States Association of Fringe Festivals.  \n  \n\n\nDaniel Gunn and Dr. Eric Brown\, Episode 12: Cyclops\n Daniel Gunn (right) is Professor Emeritus at the University of Maine at Farmington\, where he taught a seminar on Joyce in the Honors program for many years. He lives in New Sharon. \nEric Brown (Left) is Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Maine Farmington and current Executive Director of the Maine Irish Heritage Center.  His publications include essays on Irish poetry\, the books Milton on Film\, Insect Poetics\, and Shakespeare in Performance\, and recent poems appearing or forthcoming in Scientific American\, Enchanted Living\, Rust & Moth\, The Galway Review\, and elsewhere.  He lives in South Portland. \n“Escape from the Cyclops’s Cave”\n\nDaniel Gunn and Eric Brown will read a brief excerpt from the “Cyclops” episode of Ulysses\, featuring Leopold Bloom\, the Citizen\, the Dunsink Observatory\, a dog\, a milkwhite dolphin\, a biscuit tin\, “a violent atmospheric perturbation of cyclonic character\,” and “all of the ragamuffins and sluts of the nation.”\n\n\n\nAIRE Theater\, Featuring Tony Reilly\, Episode 8: Lestrygonians\nTony Reilly. has been seen in Desperate Measures\, A Funny Thing Happened…\, Frost/Nixon\, Moonlight and Magnolias\, and An Inspector Calls at the Good Theater. He has been the artistic director of AIRE since it was conceived in 1997.  He  has directed and acted in many of AIRE’s productions\, including The Seafarer\, The Lonesome West\, Faith Healer\, A Couple of Blaguards and Outside Mullingar.   At  Mad Horse\, he was seen in The Lieutenant of Inishmore\,  Titus Andronicus and Grey Gardens . And at Portland Stage he was seen in Ma Rainey’s Black Bo*om\, Much Ado.. and Bart Sher’s Romeo and Juliet.  In New York\, Tony studied at the Juilliard School; he was a member of the American Globe Theater and worked with The Irish Repertory in Grandchild of Kings (directed by Hal Prince) and The Hasty Heart.   \n  URL:https://maineirish.com/event/bloomsday-at-the-maine-irish-heritage-center/ LOCATION:ME ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Bloomsday-2025-1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250620T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250620T210000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250514T174727Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250618T212849Z UID:10000718-1750438800-1750453200@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Irish Night at the Sea Dogs 2025 DESCRIPTION:S O L D   O U T !\nGeneral Admission Tickets are still available at the Sea Dogs box office.\n\nFriday\, June 20 | Game Time: 6:20 PM | Hadlock Field\nJoin us for a festive evening celebrating Irish culture and community at Irish Night at the Portland Sea Dogs! Enjoy an exciting matchup between the Portland Sea Dogs and the Akron RubberDucks\, with a full evening of entertainment and Irish spirit. Celebrate community\, heritage\, and hometown baseball at Irish Night with the Sea Dogs!\n\n\n🎟 Tickets:\n\n\n$20 General Admission\n\n\n$18 for Maine Irish Heritage Center and Irish American Club members\n\n\n🎶 Event Highlights:\n\n\nJim Brady performing live outside the stadium from 5:00–6:00 PM\n\n\nA spirited Parade of Flags kicks off the game pre-show\n\n\nA special performance by Stillson School of Irish Dance\n\n\nFireworks Spectacular immediately following the game\n\n\n⚾ First pitch at 6:20 PM – don’t miss a great night of baseball\, music\, dancing\, and fireworks!\n  \n\n\n_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________\n\n\n\nWant to volunteer to carry a flag in the pre-game Parade of Flags?\n👉 Sign up here: https://volunteer.maineirish.com/\n  \n\n_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIMPORTANT\nSpecial pricing is available for members of the Irish Network which includes MIHC\, IAC\, GAA\, Stillson School of Irish Dance\, and the Portland Rugby Club. When you purchase discounted tickets\, you will be asked for your affiliation. Please check your affiliation for each member of your group. If you do not indicate your membership status\, you will be prevented from purchasing the discounted tickets. If you have questions or need to verify your membership\, please contact the organization that you are affiliated with. We’re looking forward to seeing you at the game!! \n\n \n \n \n \n  URL:https://maineirish.com/event/irish-night-at-the-sea-dogs-2025/ LOCATION:hadlock field CATEGORIES:Community ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/IRISH-NIGHT-sold-out-banner.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250627T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250627T210000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250506T190412Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250624T180852Z UID:10000717-1751049000-1751058000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Robert Breen Launches "The Light of Civil Day" - A Maine Irish Author Event DESCRIPTION:Join us on Friday\, June 27th for an evening of poetry and celebration as Robert Breen launches his new poetry publication The Light of Civil Day!\nOur cocktail reception begins at 6:30 – enjoy hors d’oeuvres and beverages\, and the beautiful harp music of renowned harpist Julia Lane. At 7:30\, Bobby will take the stage\, and share his work. This event is free\, and open to all! Come join the celebration! \nAll of Bobby’s books will be available for purchase at the event\, and Bobby will be signing! Don’t miss your chance to snag your signed copies\, and help us celebrate Bobby’s incredible work! \n\n  \nAbout the Author:\nPhilosophy of Poet Robert Breen \nTragic be as it may. \nTime does not heal\, \nit whispers \nan epic narrative differently. \nWarfare ought \nnot occur after Troy. \n  \nI envision a Wordsworthian viewpoint stretching to feel a spontaneous flood of powerful feelings\, recalling that spirit of serenity found in everyday experiences. Unswerving to be inclusive in writing and speaking\, a communal language\, with a sense of inquisitiveness to find the familiar in catching the heart of episodes\, occurrences\, in those relationships coexisting between nature and humanity. \n \nRobert (Bobby) Breen was born and raised in Boston\, Massachusetts\, where he served for decades as a Boston firefighter. His poetry is deeply rooted in Irish-American heritage\, working-class life\, and the storytelling traditions of New England. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston\, Breen honed his craft through Harvard University’s Summer Writing Program and has been published in The Harvard Summer Review. His work has earned numerous awards\, including the Joy of the Pen competition and the Margaret F. Tripp Poetry Award. Breen’s writing reflects a lifelong friendship with Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney\, who celebrated Breen’s fireman’s helmet in his poem “Helmet” and considered Breen’s work rich with personal voice and lyrical strength. He lives in Brunswick\, Maine\, with his wife\, Karen\, and continues to write about place\, memory\, and the endurance of ordinary people. \n\n  \nAbout the Book\nIn The Light of Civil Day\, Robert Breen—Boston firefighter\, Irish-American poet\, and observer of life’s quiet reckonings—delivers a collection of lyrical reflections on loss\, love\, endurance\, and place. Grounded in the working-class streets of Boston and the coastal landscapes of Maine\, these poems bear witness to the fragile moments of life and the deep human need for connection. \nWith the eye of a first responder and the heart of a storyteller\, Breen explores both private grief and public tragedy. His poems\, many previously published in respected journals\, are informed by a lifetime of service\, family heritage\, and his friendship with literary legend Seamus Heaney. This collection speaks to readers who find grace in small details\, reverence in ordinary moments\, and resilience in the face of hardship. To learn more or purchase the book\, click here! \n  \n  \n  \nEnjoy this example of Robert Breen’s work:\nSkating\nYour joy\,\nOur civility\,\nin harmony\,\nwith sharing\na cooperation\nto be amiable.\nAll in balance on a thin single blade. \n\n\nWe are also launching the newly printed Second Edition of Bobby’s magnificent collection\, Shore Digger!\nA moving collection of poetry by Boston firefighter Robert Breen\, exploring Irish heritage\, immigrant stories\, and working-class life with lyrical grace and hard-earned wisdom. Inspired by his friendship with poet Seamus Heaney. To purchase Shore Digger\, click here! \n  \n  \n  \n  \nCan’t get enough? Us either! We are also carrying Bobby’s first chapbook\, Undertow: A Tide Pool of Poems!\nRobert Breen is the author of Undertow: A Tide Pool of Poems. His poems have been published in Harvard Summer Review\, The Café Review\, Boston Literary Magazine\, and Communion Arts Journal. His correspondence with Seamus Heaney resides at Emory University’s Rose Library. His life journey has taken him from a Boston firefighter to a poet published by Harvard Summer Review and a lifelong friend of legendary Irish poet Seamus Heaney. He now lives in Maine. To purchase Undertow: A Tide Pool of Poems\, click here! \n  \n  \n  \n  \nFeatured Musician:\nJulia Lane – Celtic Harp\, Song and Story\nJulia Lane has had a lifelong passion for Celtic folk music and lore and is a self-taught player of the Celtic folk harp which she began in 1989. Her unique style has won three international competitions. Judge/harpist Kim Robertson praised her “innovative arrangements and energetic performance” and Irish harpist Dennis Doyle declared “she really captured the spirit of the music”. Her versatile solo performances include playing at the Maine state capitol rotunda to calm legislators as well as accompanying poets and fire-eating jugglers. Julia Lane is also an exceptional vocalist\, “one of the Maine coast’s foremost voices”\, whose voice has been called “lovely\, vibrant\, and haunting”\, and compared favorably with Loreena McKennitt\, Triona ni Dhonaill\, and Judy Collins. Julia Lane’s performances include both original and traditional music and lyrics inspired by her Celtic heritage. Haunting ballads and spritely dance tunes are interspersed with legend and lore. She plays with her husband\, Fred Gosbee as “Castlebay” performing at festivals\, folk clubs\, schools and arts centers\, as well as on radio and television. They maintain a commitment to cultural education and have an ongoing exchange with folklorists and musicians worldwide. Castlebay’s historically informed entertaining presentations delight audiences from Cape Breton to Florida and in Ireland\, England and Scotland. The duo has also created full theatrical musical renditions of historic stories which include both traditional and original music. Since 1985\,Castlebay has recorded over 27 albums and have composed and recorded award-winning video soundtracks. After years of archival research\, they have recently begun publishing a series of books containing transcriptions of traditional Anglo-Celtic songs sung in Maine with historical background information. The first\, titled “Bygone Ballads of Maine Songs of Ships & Sailors” has received international attention. The second volume is due to be released in 2026 and will feature numerous Maine traditional songs with Irish sources. \nFor more information\nwebsite www.castlebay.net\nphone 207-529-5438\nemail castlebay@castlebay.net URL:https://maineirish.com/event/robert-breen-the-light-of-civil-day/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Bobby-Breen-1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250719T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250719T120000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250612T165625Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250626T145012Z UID:10000720-1752922800-1752926400@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Summer Storytelling Series: Maine Celtic Celebration DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, July 19th\n11:00am\nSteamboat Stage\, Belfast ME\nThe Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling to Maine this summer! Join us for the first installment of our new summer series: Maine Irish Summer Storytelling! \nIn days gone by neighbors would gather at night in the local ceili house\, the home of a storyteller. They came for conversation\, and to hear stories of their community\, its history\, old tales handed down by the ancestors\, some music. These gatherings helped build community and preserve the culture and values of the Irish people. Storytelling is central to Irish culture—as it is to so many cultures around the world. These outdoor events are part of MIHC’s mission to share this tradition across Maine while also supporting local businesses and gathering spaces. Let’s build community together\, one story at a time. \nWe’ll be up at the Maine Celtic Celebration with some incredible featured tellers. Join us at 11am at the Celebration’s Steamboat Stage for storytelling\, and then enjoy the rest of the festival! We’ll have a table set up where you can chat with the artists after the show\, and perhaps even snag a souvenir or two! \nOur Tellers:\nCathy Furness\nAlthough three generations removed from the family farm in County Laois\, Cathy felt drawn to Ireland from a very young age. She followed that gravitational pull to Dublin\, where she earned a graduate degree in Irish literature and folklore. She also studied traditional music while she was there by attending sessions at O’Donohue’s on Merrion Row nearly every night. \nCathy retired early from her professional life in New York to take a deep dive into storytelling. Since then\, she has told stories on two continents to audiences of all ages. She likes to share the layered wisdom of folktales of many cultures\, but is especially drawn to the heroes\, heroines and stories of her Irish ancestors. Now living in the woods outside Brunswick\, Maine\, she shares her home with Redmond\, Conor and Molly\, three very spoiled cats. \n  \n  \n  \n  \nRobert Breen\nRobert (Bobby) Breen was born and raised in Boston\, Massachusetts\, where he served for decades as a Boston firefighter. His poetry is deeply rooted in Irish-American heritage\, working-class life\, and the storytelling traditions of New England. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston\, Breen honed his craft through Harvard University’s Summer Writing Program and has been published in The Harvard Summer Review. His work has earned numerous awards\, including the Joy of the Pen competition and the Margaret F. Tripp Poetry Award. Breen’s writing reflects a lifelong friendship with Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney\, who celebrated Breen’s fireman’s helmet in his poem “Helmet” and considered Breen’s work rich with personal voice and lyrical strength. He lives in Brunswick\, Maine\, with his wife\, Karen\, and continues to write about place\, memory\, and the endurance of ordinary people. \n\n\n\nJulia Lane & Fred Gosbee\nJulia Lane\, singer\, songwriter\, and folklorist\, has been playing the Celtic harp since 1989. Self-taught\, she rapidly became a skilled and exciting player\, winning the Senior Professional division at the New Hampshire Scottish Games Harp Competition in 1990 and 1991 and the International Folk Harp Competition at Stonehill College in 1992. Julia has done extensive research in folksong archives throughout New England and is currently transcribing songs from the Flanders Collection at Middleburg College\, Vermont. This audio archive has over 3000 songs\, 900 collected in Maine. \nFred Gosbee\, singer\, songwriter\, and storyteller\, plays classic and 12-string guitar\, violin\, viola and Irish flute. He learned many traditional songs from his family\, who worked as lumbermen in the forests of New Brunswick and Maine. His original songs have been sung and recorded by other artists.Fred has engineered most of Castlebay’s recordings and has also built Julia’s harps and many other instruments. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/summer-storytelling-series-maine-celtic-celebration/ LOCATION:Maine Celtic Celebration Steamboat Stage\, 34 Commercial St\, Belfast\, 04915\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Summer-Storytelling-Series-banner.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250724T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250724T193000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250612T174804Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250613T173851Z UID:10000721-1753381800-1753385400@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Summer Storytelling Series: Banded Brewing Co. DESCRIPTION:The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling to Maine this summer! \nIn days gone by neighbors would gather at night in the local ceili house\, the home of a storyteller. They came for conversation\, and to hear stories of their community\, its history\, old tales handed down by the ancestors\, some music. These gatherings helped build community and preserve the culture and values of the Irish people. \nWe invite you to join us this summer at one of our storytelling events! Bring a story\, a poem\, a song\, or simply come to listen and enjoy an evening among friends—or friends-in-the-making. \nEvent Details:\n\nLocation: Banded Brewing Co.\, Biddeford Maine\nTime: 6:30pm-7:30pm\nHost: Cathy Furness\nStory Guidelines:\n\nStories\, songs\, or poems should be 10 minutes or less\nA timekeeper will help us keep things moving\nNo hate speech – creative freedom is welcome\, but kindness and inclusivity are essential\n\n\nAll are welcome – come to share or simply to listen\n\n\nStorytelling is central to Irish culture—as it is to so many cultures around the world. These outdoor events are part of MIHC’s mission to share this tradition across Maine while also supporting local businesses and gathering spaces. Let’s build community together\, one story at a time. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/summer-storytelling-series-banded-brewing-co/ LOCATION:Banded Brewing\, Building 13-W\, 32 Main St\, Biddeford\, ME\, 04005\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Summer-Storytelling-Series-BANDED-banner.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250805T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250805T193000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250721T190729Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250721T190729Z UID:10000735-1754418600-1754422200@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Summer Storytelling Series: Orange Bike Brewing DESCRIPTION:The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling to Maine this summer! \nIn days gone by neighbors would gather at night in the local ceili house\, the home of a storyteller. They came for conversation\, and to hear stories of their community\, its history\, old tales handed down by the ancestors\, some music. These gatherings helped build community and preserve the culture and values of the Irish people. \nWe invite you to join us this summer at one of our storytelling events! Bring a story\, a poem\, a song\, or simply come to listen and enjoy an evening among friends—or friends-in-the-making. \nEvent Details:\n\nLocation: Orange Bike Brewing\, Portland\, Maine\nTime: 6:30pm-7:30pm\nHost: Cathy Furness\nStory Guidelines:\n\nStories\, songs\, or poems should be 10 minutes or less\nA timekeeper will help us keep things moving\nNo hate speech – creative freedom is welcome\, but kindness and inclusivity are essential\n\n\nAll are welcome – come to share or simply to listen\n\nStorytelling is central to Irish culture—as it is to so many cultures around the world. These outdoor events are part of MIHC’s mission to share this tradition across Maine while also supporting local businesses and gathering spaces. Let’s build community together\, one story at a time. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/summer-storytelling-series-orange-bike-brewing/ LOCATION:Orange Bike Brewing\, 31 Diamond St Suite D\, Portland\, 04101\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Summer-Storytelling-Series-ORANGE-BIKE-banner.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250820T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250820T193000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250711T155034Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250717T155546Z UID:10000734-1755714600-1755718200@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Summer Storytelling Series: Belleflower Brewing DESCRIPTION:The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling to Maine this summer!\n\nIn days gone by neighbors would gather at night in the local ceili house\, the home of a storyteller. They came for conversation\, and to hear stories of their community\, its history\, old tales handed down by the ancestors\, some music. These gatherings helped build community and preserve the culture and values of the Irish people.\nWe invite you to join us this summer at one of our storytelling events! Bring a story\, a poem\, a song\, or simply come to listen and enjoy an evening among friends—or friends-in-the-making.\n\nEvent Details:\n\nLocation: Belleflower Brewing\, Portland Maine\nTime: 6:30pm-7:30pm\nHost: Cathy Furness\nStory Guidelines:\n\nStories\, songs\, or poems should be 10 minutes or less\nA timekeeper will help us keep things moving\nNo hate speech – creative freedom is welcome\, but kindness and inclusivity are essential\n\n\nAll are welcome – come to share or simply to listen\n\nStorytelling is central to Irish culture—as it is to so many cultures around the world. These outdoor events are part of MIHC’s mission to share this tradition across Maine while also supporting local businesses and gathering spaces. Let’s build community together\, one story at a time. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/summer-storytelling-series-belleflower-brewing/ LOCATION:Belleflower Brewing\, 66 Cove Street\, Portland\, ME\, 04101\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Summer-Storytelling-Series-BELLEFLOWER-banner.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250828T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250828T193000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250716T215810Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250716T215810Z UID:10000736-1756405800-1756409400@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Summer Storytelling Series: Mast Landing Brewing Company DESCRIPTION:The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling to Maine this summer! \nIn days gone by neighbors would gather at night in the local ceili house\, the home of a storyteller. They came for conversation\, and to hear stories of their community\, its history\, old tales handed down by the ancestors\, some music. These gatherings helped build community and preserve the culture and values of the Irish people. \nWe invite you to join us this summer at one of our storytelling events! Bring a story\, a poem\, a song\, or simply come to listen and enjoy an evening among friends—or friends-in-the-making. \nEvent Details:\n\nLocation: Mast Landing Brewing Company\, Freeport\, Maine\nTime: 6:30pm-7:30pm\nHost: Cathy Furness\nStory Guidelines:\n\nStories\, songs\, or poems should be 10 minutes or less\nA timekeeper will help us keep things moving\nNo hate speech – creative freedom is welcome\, but kindness and inclusivity are essential\n\n\nAll are welcome – come to share or simply to listen\n\nStorytelling is central to Irish culture—as it is to so many cultures around the world. These outdoor events are part of MIHC’s mission to share this tradition across Maine while also supporting local businesses and gathering spaces. Let’s build community together\, one story at a time. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/summer-storytelling-series-mast-landing-brewing-company/ LOCATION:Mast Landing\, Freeport\, 200 LOWER MAIN STREET\, Freeport\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Summer-Storytelling-Series-MAST-LANDING-banner.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250904T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250904T190000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113438 CREATED:20250806T173345Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250806T173345Z UID:10000740-1757005200-1757012400@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Maine Irish Writes: September DESCRIPTION:We are thrilled to present our inaugural season of Maine Irish Writes\, an inclusive monthly Writer’s Group that will meet in the MIHC Library on the first Thursday of each month! \nLed by the incredible poet and author Robert Breen\, this welcoming writers group is open to all—whether you’re just starting out or deep into a manuscript. Bring your works in progress\, share your voice\, and receive supportive\, thoughtful feedback in a relaxed and inspiring setting. Together\, we’ll explore storytelling\, poetry\, memory\, and the written word in all its forms. Come to listen\, come to write\, come to connect. \nCheck out the rest of the series dates HERE! URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-writes-september-25/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Maine-Irish-Writes-banner-SEPT.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250905T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250905T210000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113439 CREATED:20250703T153732Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250828T190129Z UID:10000723-1757100600-1757106000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Lane to the Glen in Concert DESCRIPTION:Friday. September 5th\n7:30pm\nDoors open at 7:00pm\nJoin us for an incredible evening of music with Lane to the Glen! \nTickets are $25 for general admission and $35 for priority seating. Don’t wait to get your tickets: the price at the door will be $30 for General Admission and Priority Seating is only available in advance! \nAbout Lane to the Glen   \nSligo Traditional Trio comprising Oisín Mac Diarmada (fiddle)\, Daithí Gormley (accordion)\, Samantha Harvey (piano\, dance) \nOisín and Daithí are steeped in the music and history of the Sligo area\, having previously collaborated on ‘Fiddlers of Sligo Tunebook’\, a publication which set transcriptions of the fiddle repertoire of key Sligo exponents alongside historic images and context. \nDaithí Gormley is widely regarded as one of the finest button accordion players of his generation. His remarkably accomplished debut album Fiddling without a Bow brought an expressive mix of old and new tunes played with an attention to detail\, and he is regarded as a conduit to past masters of Irish traditional music. \nOisín Mac Diarmada and Samantha Harvey perform frequently with Téada\, a worldwide-touring band founded by Oisín in 2001. Oisín and Samantha previously recorded The Green Branch\, a sparkling album of fiddle and piano in 2015\, with subsequent teaching and performing engagements in places such as the United States\, Italy\, France\, and Japan. \nLearn More about the artists:\nhttps://lanetotheglen.com/ \nhttps://lanetotheglen.bandcamp.com/ \n  \nA Huge thank you to our Sponsor for this event:\nHoliday Inn By the Bay! URL:https://maineirish.com/event/lane-to-the-glen-in-concert/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Lane-to-the-Glen-banner-with-spons.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250911T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250911T210000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113439 CREATED:20250708T172256Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250708T174636Z UID:10000724-1757619000-1757624400@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "The Pull of the Stars" by Emma Donoghue DESCRIPTION:Maine Irish Reads\, our monthly book club\, meets every second Thursday here at the Center!\n\n\n\nFrom 7:30 – 9 PM in the MIHC Library. Bring a friend. The more\, the merrier. \nAbout this month’s book:\n\n\nIn Dublin\, 1918\, a maternity ward at the height of the Great Flu is a small world of work\, risk\, death\, and unlooked-for love\, in “Donoghue’s best novel since Room” (Kirkus Reviews) \nIn an Ireland doubly ravaged by war and disease\, Nurse Julia Power works at an understaffed hospital in the city center\, where expectant mothers who have come down with the terrible new Flu are quarantined together. Into Julia’s regimented world step two outsiders — Doctor Kathleen Lynn\, a rumoured Rebel on the run from the police \, and a young volunteer helper\, Bridie Sweeney. \nIn the darkness and intensity of this tiny ward\, over three days\, these women change each other’s lives in unexpected ways. They lose patients to this baffling pandemic\, but they also shepherd new life into a fearful world. With tireless tenderness and humanity\, carers and mothers alike somehow do their impossible work. \nIn The Pull of the Stars\, Emma Donoghue once again finds the light in the darkness in this new classic of hope and survival against all odds. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-september-2025/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States CATEGORIES:Maine Irish Reads ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Maine-Irish-Reads-Sept-25-banner.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250913T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250913T150000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113439 CREATED:20250828T173714Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250828T173714Z UID:10000764-1757754000-1757775600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:MIHC Day of Caring 2025 DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, September 13th\n9:00am-3:00pm\nWe are looking for:\nPainters | Carpenters | Cleaners | Gardeners\n  \nThe Center – originally St. Dominic’s Church – was constructed in the late 1800s\, and has long served as one of Portland and Maine’s preeminent cultural centers\, meeting spaces\, research institutions\, libraries\, concert halls\, wedding venues\, and more. \nWe are hosting this Day of Caring to ensure our beloved space receives the attention it needs and deserves. With many important concerts\, fundraisers\, and cultural festivals on the horizon\, this is the perfect chance to donate your skills\, tools\, and passion for just a few hours. \nIf you or your organization are interested in volunteering for this event\, please contact us at volunteer@maineirish.com. We want to ensure your skills and expertise are put to the best use possible! \n  \nDay of Caring Project Options:\nInterior Cleaning: \nSweeping\, mopping\, vacuuming\, and dusting \nExterior Cleaning: \nPicking up trash\, removing debris\, etc \nGardening: \nWeeding\, pruning\, and otherwise tending to flowerbeds \nPainting: \nRepainting doors\, pillars\, walls\, and trim \nCarpentry: \nFixing doors & cabinets\, repurposing old scrap wood \nSpecial Projects: \nWe have a number of larger carpentry & electrical projects for larger\, experienced teams. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/mihc-day-of-caring-2025/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Day-of-Caring-Graphic-169.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250916T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250916T203000 DTSTAMP:20260405T113439 CREATED:20250805T202153Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250825T174125Z UID:10000738-1758047400-1758054600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Irish Maids and Portland's Houses DESCRIPTION:Homes\, Histories\, and Women’s Networks\nTuesday\, September 16th\n6:30pm\nJoin us on Tuesday\, September 16th at 6:30pm for a lecture with Thomas C. Hubka\, Architectural & Cultural Historian. \nBehind Portland’s grand homes and quiet streets lies a largely undocumented chapter of the city’s Irish story—one told in boarding houses\, kitchens\, and servant stairwells. Irish Maids and Portland’s Houses invites the community to explore the housing and domestic histories of Irish women who came to Portland as domestic workers in the 19th and early 20th centuries. \nThis talk aims to shine a light on the often-invisible lives of Irish women who arrived in America alone: where they lived\, where they worked\, and how they supported one another in a new and often difficult world. As single women\, they navigated every phase of life—from immigration to labor to community building—without the legal or social protections often afforded to men or married women. Their histories are uniquely tied to the places they lived: domestic service placements\, boarding houses\, rented rooms\, and homes shared with fellow migrants. These networks of chain migration and mutual assistance among women are difficult to trace in official records or family trees\, yet they tell a vital and singular story. That is why we are reaching out to the broader Irish community: to help us uncover and preserve this essential chapter through shared family stories\, photographs\, oral histories\, or even just names and addresses that may help us reconstruct this essential part of our heritage. \nWhether you have roots in Portland’s Irish neighborhoods or are simply curious about the domestic work that helped build and sustain the city\, we invite you to join us in preserving this overlooked legacy. \nProfessor Hubka will be available after the lecture to discuss further questions. He’ll also be holding interviews at the Center the next day\, Wednesday\, September 17th from 9am-3pm\, to take more detailed information and collect family history stories from the Portland Irish community. Eventually\, professor Hubka hopes to visit and document the houses where Irish maids lived and worked in the Portland area! If you have information\, stories\, or want to learn more about these interviews\, please head HERE to learn more and sign up! \n  \nAbout Thomas C. Hubka\n Thomas Hubka is a Professor Emeritus from the Department of Architecture\, University of Wisconsin−Milwaukee. Through almost forty years of scholarship and teaching he has attempted to link the practice and teaching of architecture to historical and cultural context. He has published widely on topics of popular\, vernacular architecture including theoretical works and detailed studies of common buildings such as New England farms\, bungalows\, ranch houses\, and workers’ cottages \nHis latest books explore America’s most common housing such as workers’ cottages\, bungalows\, and duplexes: How the Working-Class Home Became Modern\, 1900-1940. (University of Minnesota Press\, 2021\, and Houses without Names: Architecture Nomenclature and the Classification of America’s Common Houses (University of Tennessee Press\, 2013). \nHis two previous books are: Resplendent Synagogue: Architecture and Worship in an 18th Century Polish Community (University Press of New England and Brandeis University Press) for which he received the Vernacular Architecture Forum’s\, Henry Glassie Award\, 2006; and Big House\, Little House\, Back House\, Barn: The Connected Farm Buildings of New England (University Press of New England) for which he received the Abbott Lowell Cummings Award in 1985. \nHe is currently living in Portland\, Oregon where he has taught courses at the University of Oregon\, Portland State University\, and Portland Community College and continues to study the housing and neighborhoods of Portland and Oregon. \n  \nThank you to our sponsor for this event: Hyatt Place Portland Downtown-Old Port Square!\n \n\nInterested in learning more on this subject? There are some fantastic local researches doing great work right here in Portland!\nCheck out the Portland Bridgit Project to learn more:\n\nThe Portland Bridget Project is an independent research initiative led by Michelle O’Donnell Josephson and Hannah Marcel Field. The goal of our work is to find and tell the stories of 19th and early 20th century Irish domestic servants in Portland\, Maine. These women are an important part of our local history\, but their stories have not been told. You can learn more about us on The Portland Bridget Project Facebook page and on Instagram as @theportlandbridgetproject URL:https://maineirish.com/event/irish-maids-and-portlands-houses/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Irish-Maids-and-Portlands-Houses-2-1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR